Knitting machine control mechanism



July 16, 1957 Filed March 10. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 W FIG. I

2 a 1 0 m! "I a July 16, 1957 c. AUTON 2,799,148

- KNITTING MACHINE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed March l0, 1955 3 Shets-Sheet3 hired States Patent fiice KNITTING MACHINE CONTROL MECHANISM CliffordAnton, Maiden, N. C., assignor to Hemphill Company, Pawtucket, R. 1., acorporation of Massachusetts Application March 10, 1955, SerialNo.493,358 6 Claims. (Cl. 66- -8) This invention relates to an improvementin operational controls of a knitting machine and, in particular, of acircular, independent needle, knitting machine having a needle cylinderwhich is capable of rotation and recipro cation. Such a machine will bemade the basis of this description.

In this type of machine, there are numerous cams and other mechanismswhich are moved into and out of operation at predetermined times. Suchmotion is usually derived from a drum having a periodic step-by-stepturningmotion, or from a constantly rotating part. It occasionallyhappens that neither the periodic turning of the drum nor the rate ofrotation of the constantly rotating part is suited for the desiredcontrol.

For example, in a circular, independent needle, knitting machine of thesingle feed type for the manufacture of solid color Argyle hosiery, itis necessary usually to alter the angular relation'of the cylinder toits drive a number of times in order to bring different groups ofneedles within range of the single set of knitting cams for knitting,consecutively, the several patterns around the stocking. This iscommonly called cylinder indexing and is done through the agency of aclutch by which the cylinder is disconnected from its driving mechanismand is connected again after its drive has turned through the requirednumber of degrees to so position the groups of needles which are to knitthe next part of the pattern that they will pass through the knittingcams. While the cylinder is being indexed, all rotating parts except thecylinder continue to rotate. i

In addition to cylinder indexing, it may be necessary to raise a groupof needles of varying number to an inactive position before knitting isresumed. This can be done only when the cylinder is in motion. It hasbeen customary to raise such needles by means of a cam which is movableinto and out of needle butt engaging position by levers operated from aconveniently positioned rotating drum or disc. It frequently happensthat the turning of this drum while the cylinder is being indexedconsumes so much of a revolution of the drum that the remaining part isinsufficient to permit the cam to raise the required number of needles.A drum which turns at a lesser speed might be provided but thiscomplicates the machine and adds to its cost, or the knitting might beinterrupted long enough to permit the cam to function properly but thiswould reduce the productive capacity of the machine. To avoid theseundesirable complications, the device of this invention provides asimple, inexpensive and effective means.

One form is shown in the drawing, of which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a part of a circular, independent needle,knitting machine to which the invention has been applied;

Figure 2 is a similar side elevation; Figure 3 is a plan view of a partof Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view of a part of Figure 2; and Figure 5 is aside elevation of a part of Figure 4. For the purposes of thisdescription, it will be assumed 2,799,148 Patented July 16, 1957 2 thatcylinder 1 is rotated and reciprocated by the usual means, that there isprovided means for indexing the cylinder by 90, 180 and 270 degrees, andthat prior to the resumption of knitting after indexing, it is necessaryto raise some needles to an inactive position above the knitting cams.

For this last purpose, a raise cam 2 is provided. This cam is pivotallymounted as at 3 so that it may be swung from the inactive position shownin Figs. 1 and 2 to an active needle butt engaging position adjacent thecylinder. To this end, arm 4, forming a part of the cam assembly, isconnected to a rod 5 which in turn connects with one end of a bell crank6, the other end of which is attached to a rod 7. Rod 7 terminates atrocker 8, the other end of which overlies a drum 9 provided with cams 10by which rocker S can be rocked.

When rocker 8 rides upon the surface of drum 9, cam 2 will be in itsretracted, inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 2. When rocker 8 israised by a cam 10, raise cam 2 will be swung into its operativeposition. To keep it there, a latch is provided. This consists of a rod11 pivoted in a fixed bracket1'2 so that it can engage a collar 13 onrod 7 when rocker 8 is riding upon a cam 10 and prevent the rocker fromdropping on to the surface of drum '9 when cam 10 moves away from it. Inthis way, raise cam 2 may be held in its operative position as long asdesired.

To trip latch 11 so that cam 2 will become inoperative, the followingmeans'may be employed. As best shown in Fig. 5, latch 11 is L-shaped andone arm 14 is pivotally mounted in bracket 12, so that it can turn.Attached to arm14 is a bracket 15 which also. canturn in a verticalplane. Pivotally mounted in bracket 15 so that it can turn in a plane ata right angle to the turning plane of bracket 15 is a holder '16 for afinger 17 (see Fig. 3). This finger extends to 'a point overlying ashaft 18. It will be assumed that shaft 18 will make onecounterclockwise revolution for two revolutions of cylinder 1, or onerevolution for each reciprocatory stroke of the cylinder. Mounted onshaft 18 is a sleeve 19 carrying a collar or a disc 20 which could be acam or a gear, for example. Alongside disc 20 on sleeve 19 is a helix21.

2 Finger 17 is urged away from disc 20 and towards the beginning end ofhelix 21 by a spring 22. Its movement in this direction is limited by astop 23 on bracket 15 which engages. a set screw 24 in a sleeve 25 whichis a part of the pivotal mounting of finger 17. By adjusting sleeve 25tip 26 of finger 17 may be made to overlie any part of the track formedby the convolutions of helix 21.

While cam 2 'is idle, finger 17 will assume the position just describedand will also be held above helix 21 by a spring 27 (Fig. 2) attached torocker 8 and some rigid part of the machine. When rocker 8 rides up ontoa cam 10, raise cam 2 is swung into operative position and latch 11 willbe caused by spring 28 to engage collar 13 to lock cam 2 in thatposition. Also, finger 17 will be swung so that its tip 26 falls betweenthe convolutions of helix 21 which it will follow as shaft 18 turns. Asthe other end of the helix is approached, a stud 29 adjacent the edge ofdisc 20 engages the underside of finger 17 and lifts it out ofengagement with helix 21, whereupon it will snap over to its originalposition respecting the helix. Also, the raising of finger 17 willdisengage latch 11 from collar 13 and this will permit rocker 3 to droponto drum 9 and swing raise cam 2 away from the cylinder. Thereafter,latch 11 will rest against the side of collar 13 as shown in Fig. 2 andwill maintain finger 17 out of contact with in needle raising positionfor considerably longer than that depending upon the number ofconvolutions possessed by helix 21 and the point at which finger 17 iscaused to engage it.

By loosening the set screws shown in Figure 3, the sleeve 19 may be slidendwise or turned on the supporting shaft 18 to provide an adjustmentfor the exact time that the arm 17 will be engaged by the stud 29 withrespect to the rotating cycle of the shaft 18.

Stated more broadly, this simple and inexpensive means permits aconstantly rotating part to be utilized to operate another part for aperiod of less or more than one revolution of the rotating part withoutaifecting any other function which the rotating part may have, or theproductive capacity of the machine.

Obviously, this invention may have other forms and may be utilized inother knitting machines and for many purposes other than that described.Its scope is restricted only to that of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a circular independent needle knitting machine having a slottedneedle bearing cylinder, needles movably mounted in the slots of saidcylinder, said needles having operating butts, the combination of a camadapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said butts, meansfor so moving said cam, said means for moving being controlled by amechanism which comprises a latch, a movable latch releasing member, acyclically moving pin adapted to operate said latch releasing member,and a helix adapted to guide said releasing member to a position whereit will be engaged by said moving pin.

2. In a circular, independent needle, knitting machine having arotatable needle cylinder, a rotatable shaft, a helix surrounding saidshaft and rotatable therewith, a collar fixed to said shaft adjacentsaid helix, a stud projecting from said collar, an arm overhanging saidhelix, and means for causing said arm to engage said helix to move saidarm into engagement with said stud.

3. In a circular, independent needle, knitting machine having arotatable, slotted needle bearing cylinder, and needles with operatingbutts movably mounted in the slots of said cylinder, a needle operatingcam movable into and out of engagement with said operating butts, meansfor moving said cam into butt engaging position, and means for movingsaid cam out of engagement with said butts, said last mentioned meanscomprising a rotatable shaft, a helix turning with said shaft, and acontrol arm adapted to be moved by said helix.

4. In a circular, independent needle, knitting machine which comprises arotatable, slotted needle bearing cylinder, and needles having operatingbutts movably mounted in said slots, the combination of a needleoperating cam movable into and out of engagement with said operatingbutts, means for moving said cam into butt engaging position, and meansfor moving said cam out of engagement with said butts, said lastmentioned means comprising a rotatable shaft, a helix turning with saidshaft, a movable arm, an arm operating member adapted to engage said armas it is moved by said helix, and means for causing said arm to engagesaid helix.

5. The invention according to claim 4 and wherein said means for movingsaid cam out of engagement with said butts also includes a spring andlatch and said latch is releasable by said arm operating member actingupon said arm.

6. The invention according to claim 2 and wherein said helix may beadjustably positioned with respect to said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS653,562 Scott et al July 10, 1900

